Newly laid lawn - how did they do?

wc2h27hksp7JGm2JXG · June 2022

Hi all,

Just thought I’d share a few photos of our newly laid lawn. We had to get the landscapers to re-lay the lawn after the previous levelling was a mess. I’ve noticed the grass came quite dry and there’s a fair bit of yellowing.

I’d be keen to get the thoughts of users on here to see if I should have any causes for concern. I plan on watering with a sprinkler for 30 minutes every morning and evening, being mindful it’s quite hot right now.

Thanks

KT53 · June 2022

Very poor job. Turf should be laid in a staggered 'brick' pattern, not with each turf having all the ends aligned with each other. There are also gaps between the turfs and they should be butted hard up against each other. If that's their second attempt, they need to come back yet again and do it properly.

didyw · June 2022

Oh dear. I agree, each of those turves are in danger of dying at the edges, allowing weeds to spring up between them. They really should have been butted up against each other - think how a carpet layer butts the edges up to the walls - and laid in a brick pattern.

wc2h27hksp7JGm2JXG · June 2022

Thanks both, I had feared that would be the case. Do you think it’s worth sticking with it for a few weeks and seeing if it sows? It was only laid yesterday.

Should I be considered about the lighter patches?

Dave Humby · June 2022

If you're going to stay off it till it properly roots then, while the layout is not correct, you will probably be OK. You will likely need to fill any gaps with sand / topsoil and seed. The edges will always dry out first. Water it once per day in the early morning. Watering in the evening will likely cause red thread due to the water remaining on the sword overnight.

If this is the standard of the workmanship I'd be more concerned about the ground preparation if that was done by the same people. Especially considering you look like you are on a new build and they almost always have poor starting conditions.

It really depends how willing the contractor is to address the work but it's pretty clear they didn't know what they were doing unfortunately. And that's just what you can see as opposed to what you can't see.

wc2h27hksp7JGm2JXG · June 2022

Dave Humby said:

If you're going to stay off it till it properly roots then, while the layout is not correct, you will probably be OK. You will likely need to fill any gaps with sand / topsoil and seed. The edges will always dry out first. Water it once per day in the early morning. Watering in the evening will likely cause red thread due to the water remaining on the sword overnight.

If this is the standard of the workmanship I'd be more concerned about the ground preparation if that was done by the same people. Especially considering you look like you are on a new build and they almost always have poor starting conditions.

It really depends how willing the contractor is to address the work but it's pretty clear they didn't know what they were doing unfortunately. And that's just what you can see as opposed to what you can't see.

Thanks Dave. Your assumptions are correct in that it is a new build. I have to go through their support team, who then deals with the contractors to the do the work which is quite the faff. It took a couple of months to finally get them on site to do the work. I’ll take your advice on board with the watering and see how it goes.

KT53 · June 2022

I would raise it with the builder's support team immediately but tell them you are prepared to wait a few weeks to see if it recovers. Make it clear that if it doesn't you will want it lifting and redoing. This time by contractors who actually know how to lay turf. Coincidentally, I was driving past a house near us where a new lawn has been laid in the last few days. Apart from the fast the the sprinker was going on it, you wouldn't know it was newly laid. None of the joins between turfs is obvious unless you look closely.

Fairygirl · June 2022

What a shocker! I wouldn't be happy with that at all. If that's how bad they are at laying turf, I wouldn't be assured the prep was any good either.
Definitely raise it with the builder/contractor as described above, especially re making it good if it doesn't revive.
It would need more than half an hour on it though, especially if you don't have any persistent rain at all in your forecast.

JennyJ · June 2022

As well as what everyone else has said, it looks to me as if the turf maybe wasn't very fresh to start with - it looks dry and brown around the edges of the turves. That will happen when the edges aren't properly butted up to each other, but not immediately - it would take a few days to show up if the turves were good and fresh to start with. They also look like very short pieces. I'm a cynical soul and I'd be wondering if they'd used leftover pieces from other jobs.

Jellyfire · June 2022

It will probably be a passable lawn after some looking after and filling and seeding, but I doubt it will look like the pristine, level, new lawn you should be getting from freshly laid turf, so I guess it depends what you are wanting as an end result.

I would contact them now tbh, that has been laid by somebody who doesn’t know even the basics of laying turf so I would imagine the ground prep was inadequate too and you will end up with long term issues with it.

Chris-P-Bacon · June 2022

Hmm. looks like a Friday afternoon job.
All isn't lost though.
If it was mine - I'd buy a bag of multi purpose compost (not peat free, its crap) & a bag of fine sand. Mix it 50/50 and brush into the joins.
Get a seep hose and lay across the lawn - attach to a timer and water at night. Leave it on long enough so it really soaks it through. Move the hose about so it doesn't flatten or turn the grass yellow.

Newly laid lawn - how did they do?

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